True stories of hooking up during Covid-19 12 minutes to read It took Alison Stevenson eight months to find a pandemic friend with benefits. First, there was an intense, short-lived texting relationship that ended when the man on the other end told her he was getting back together with his ex. Then, two disappointing outdoor dates, including one with a guy who made fun of her for asking him to keep his mask on. "I needed a 'situationship,'" said Stevenson, a 31-year-old comedian and writer in Los Angeles. "A person I can rely on and trust to hang out with once a week."